Taking Flight
by LilyGhost
Summary: After completing a job together, Stephanie spends the night with Ranger and then runs scared the following morning, not knowing if the hours they spent together meant as much to Ranger as they did to her.


**While I should've been working on my other story, this one popped into my head and I had half of it written fifteen minutes later so I thought I'd just finish it before getting back to 'Baby Steps'. I got the idea for this story after listening to Pink's "Walk of Shame." This is the third of these song-shots - what I like to call a story inspired by a song but doesn't include lyrics - that I've started, and I hope to get the remaining ones completed soon in between my regular story updates. All familiar characters belong to Janet. Warning for mild smut.**

"You did good tonight, Babe," Ranger said, slinging an arm around my shoulders and bringing me close to his Bulgari-scented body.

We'd just completed a successful distraction job, but this one had been more intense than others in the past. One because the guy was facing a long stay in the pokey and he liked to play with guns, but also because Ranger and I went in as a couple this time. And much to my enjoyment and irritation, that included a lot of couple-like behavior between the two of us. By the end of the twenty minute job, the pheromones and Ranger's muscle-hugging clothes were doing a number on my libido _and_ my good judgement. A few more minutes in his company and I was going to be putty in his very talented hands.

"I think it was more the punch to his ribs that got him than me," I told Ranger.

"Steph, he wouldn't have been outside if you hadn't lured him out of the place."

That was true. First I had tried the old damsel in distress routine. When that didn't work, I went for an outright sex bribe. The promise of an easy lay gets them every time. Ranger had mostly let me run the show from there. He pretended to storm out which looked to Kingley like I was stranded. Given his predatory nature, it was no surprise to anyone on our team that Johnson Kingley was walking out of the dive bar with me five minutes after Ranger supposedly ditched me. Of course, Vince and Ramon had stayed inside the place, keeping four eyes on me at all times so I wasn't alone even if things had gone wrong.

I had channeled Joyce and hit Kingley with a full-force skank vibe. And he got hit with Ranger's fist not long after. I personally would've broken his wandering fingers before going for a gut punch, but Ranger was tons stronger than me so it worked out well. Well for everyone but Johnson that is.

I watched as Ramon attached Kingley to the backseat of their SUV. Ramon and Vince were right on my heels as I left with Johnson, and they took over as soon as Ranger had Kingley on his stomach and cuffed. I didn't think Johnson was inclined to move anywhere at that point, even without the three of them surrounding him. Ranger never pulled _any_ of his punches.

When the guys left us in the parking lot and turned onto the almost deserted street - only the most die hard troublemakers were still out - Ranger escorted me back to his Turbo. I'd met Ranger at Rangeman so he could brief me on who we'd be picking up tonight and that meant going back to his building to get my car. It was late, and the adrenaline that had kicked in before we arrived here was starting to wear off. I was sure that's what caused me to lean into Ranger as we walked around to the back of the dingy little building that housed the bar.

He opened the passenger's door, but didn't move far so I was forced into close proximity with his large body as I got myself settled in my seat. Ranger didn't stop there, either. He was in full-on seducer mode and I was the unsuspecting target. If I wasn't careful, I would find myself very happily succumbing to it. I knew better, though. Ranger would play with me a little, get me all hot and bothered, and then calmly - with a cocky smile on his face - kiss me goodnight and watch me get into my car and drive home alone. There's no way I'm letting myself fall for it this time.

I had every intention of sticking to my guns until Ranger amped up the sexual tension. For a good thirty seconds he stared at the leg and breast that I'd left showing with the outfit I decided on, before leaning into the still open door of the Porsche to give me an unhurried kiss that had my hands fisting in his hair by the time he pulled back.

_'Get a hold of yourself, Stephanie,' _I mentally ordered myself._ 'Don't let him see that he's getting to you.'_

When my tongue found its way into Ranger's mouth, I wasn't so sure he understood that I was attempting to fight him off. I guess this would be the mother of all mixed messages. It shouldn't matter, though. Ranger does have to drive us back to Haywood so I was bound to get a break from all the physical contact and then we'd both remember that this isn't a good idea.

Boy, had I been wrong about everything.

In the darkness of the car, with no radio on to cover the sound of my labored breathing, Ranger used every opportunity to touch my bare legs, graze my cheek with the back of his knuckles, or play with my hair, at every stop sign and traffic light. Usually Ranger had his way with traffic lights, and they would never be anything except green but, tonight, I swear he messed with them somehow to make every one of them red. Giving him extra time to torment me.

I was biting my lip, and pressing my knees tightly together, by the time we reached the Rangeman gate. Ranger was hard to say no to under _any_ circumstance, when he's hell bent on having you naked in his bed, he was even harder to argue with. Especially when you want to be naked with him just as bad.

It was like I was seeing everything he was doing in slow motion. I saw his right hand turn the car off after he parked and then take the key out of the ignition. I watched his arm come over to my side of the Turbo and couldn't help but feel the little electric-like charges his skin produced when it touched mine. I was so engrossed in this little game that I jumped when he leaned in close and spoke for the first time since leaving the bar.

"Will you come upstairs with me?" Ranger asked, his eyes zeroing in on my mouth when I nervously licked my lips before answering.

I was all set to say_ 'not tonight' _when I heard the opposite answer come out of my mouth instead. At least I think that breathy sounding _"yes" _came from me. Ranger and I were the only two people in the car and I knew it hadn't been him.

Before I had a chance to think about what I just did, Ranger was beside me unfastening my seatbelt and tugging me out of the car. He kissed me again as we waited for the elevator to open, but I wasn't so far gone yet that I didn't realize that the control room would be seeing us.

"The guys ..." I started to say.

"They don't matter, Babe. But if it will help you concentrate on me instead of them, I promise to deal with the men tomorrow if they say anything."

Even if they didn't talk, they'd still know that I stayed the night after being seen making out with their boss. I mentally shrugged. They already think we've been sleeping together, this way at least I'll be having the sex everyone thought I was getting from Ranger.

I don't remember much of the elevator ride to the seventh floor. I was too busy repeating _I'm going to have sex with Batman! I'm going to have sex with Batman! _Probably not my most mature moment, but really, who could blame me? I know exactly what I'm in for and it's worth a little internal celebration.

He unlocked the door and threw the bolt behind us. I didn't have a chance for any doubts to form, because Ranger changed tactics. As soon as I placed my bag on the cabinet by the door, Ranger was on me. And let me tell you that's every bit as good as it sounds. Gone was the slow, gentle lover. In his place was a passionate, almost out of control man. Ranger's skin was hot, his mouth was warm, and his hands were finding every erogenous zone on my body.

My skirt was pushed up to my waist, my shirt was pulled down to touch my skirt, and I thanked God at that moment because Ranger had gone commando today. He sat me on top of the cabinet, tugged my underwear down my legs, and then entered me with one hard thrust. Orgasm number one was off and running. When the second one caused me to clench repeatedly around him, Ranger groaned into my neck as he released himself inside of me.

I noticed that Ranger was also breathing hard. Usually it took a few times to get his heart rate close to mine, since Ranger's body is basically a machine, but this time he was gulping air right along with me.

He lifted his head from the curve of my neck where he'd been leisurely kissing me while the breath came back to our lungs.

"That should hold us until I get you into the bedroom," Ranger said, looking down at me, and my disheveled state, with satisfaction.

"You mean there's more to look forward to?" I asked, tugging his shirt up to press my mouth to one particularly edible section of his chest that I remembered from the time I'd been lucky enough to have Ranger for a whole night.

I'm pretty sure I can draw a map to all his delicious bits just from memory alone.

"You have no idea, Babe," he told me. "I've been thinking about this moment for a long time. And I plan on taking advantage of your suddenly agreeable mood."

He wasn't kidding. He didn't step away from me. He didn't adjust our clothes. He simply tightened my legs around his waist - keeping himself deep inside of me - lifted me up by my thighs, and carried me to his room for what promised to be a very long, very fulfilling night.

When my eyes opened, I knew I was alone in Ranger's big bed. As I cautiously lifted my head, I heard the shower kick on through the bathroom door Ranger had left open. He obviously doesn't have the same nudity issues as I have. I somehow managed to wake up at the perfect time. I now had a chance to make my escape. It's not that lying naked in Ranger's bed is bad, in fact it can be extremely good because Ranger would probably want to start the day the same way we ended it last night. I couldn't let that happen. Ranger had proven once again just how addictive he is. I've been lusting after him more and more with every stolen kiss and flirty touch. And after experiencing another night of his particular magic, I couldn't risk exposing myself to more. If I stayed with him again, I knew my heart would get broken. Ranger wasn't looking for more than a good time, and I was looking at him differently now. Did I want to marry Ranger? I don't know. Did I want a relationship with him? Hell, yes! Was I going to have one? No.

So I did what any self-respecting woman would do in my place ... I ran. Okay, so it was more cowardly than anything else, sneaking out while Ranger was busy, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. And I shouldn't feel guilty. Guys do this all the time, but unfortunately I'm not a guy. And to complicate matters, I have too many feelings for Ranger. And even though Ranger probably would've done the same thing to me if I hadn't been awake when he left the last time we slept together, my stomach still churned while I made the decision to leave.

I didn't have enough time to dwell on it. Ranger is quick and efficient in everything but love-making. I closed my eyes to quickly picture his face again as it hovered over mine before pushing it to the back of my brain to think about later. Or_ never_, most likely. I did the naked clothes search, glad that no one was witnessing my humiliation, jammed myself into my wrinkled outfit, made sure my clothes weren't on inside out in case I ran into any of the guys - which I prayed like hell I wouldn't - and got the hell out of there.

I was debating between taking the stairs, which in my current emotional state I honestly thought the elevator would only give me an added second or two over the seven flights of stairs. And if I did attempt to hoof it down the stairs, I wouldn't have to wait for the opening and closing of the elevator doors but the risk of bumping into Ranger's men would be significantly higher. In the end, I pressed the elevator button and ordered it to hurry in between swearing at myself for getting into this mess. It wasn't altogether my fault, though. Ranger could have given me some space when he saw my resistance weaken. And he didn't. He actually got more persistent after we finished the job. Usually he was the first one to back off if he thought I was going to get my feelings hurt, but he didn't allow me any breathing room to think about his motives, or my own. So in my mind, he's also to blame here. That's how I work. If _I'm_ going down for doing something stupid, then I'm taking everyone with me. In this case, _everyone_ was safe except Ranger.

The freakin' doors_ finally _opened and I jumped into the elevator, sure that Ranger would be out of the shower by now. I pushed repeatedly on the garage button and sent a prayer to every Saint, deceased relative, and all the Gods I've ever heard of to help get me out of here without bumping into anyone. Most of all Ranger. This could go one of two ways. Ranger might be glad that I left which prevented a dreaded morning after scene, or he'd be angry that I walked out on him without saying a word. Let's just say that neither of those would be good for me. One would hurt, and the other would make me just as angry. I was convinced that pretending it never happened was the best way to go.

I stuck my head out of the elevator and when I didn't see anyone in the garage, or by my car, I fled to the relative safety of my Rav-4. If Ranger did appear in front of me, I could still make a getaway. That wasn't necessary, though. I saw no one behind me, by the stairs, or near the elevator. I let out a sigh of relief and backed my car out of Ranger's parking space. As glad as I am about not having to face Ranger this morning, the ten minute drive back to my apartment was filled with memories of what we shared last night. It shouldn't be that good between two people who had no hope of being together. It didn't seem fair. I can still hear Ranger's sharp inhale when he came inside of me, the feel of his rock hard abs against my stomach, the strength in the arms holding me afterwards. My eyes weren't sure if they wanted to cry or close to savor the night more fully. I chose neither. I didn't want to crash my car and I refused to cry over this. I'm a big girl who had a one-night stand. End of story. It's not a big deal unless I make it one. Just because it was probably a mistake, doesn't mean I should be ashamed of what we'd done.

I turned off of Hamilton and parked in the lot of my apartment building a few minutes later. I was back to hurrying. I had to put my distraction clothes back on this morning which consisted of a little black skirt, four-inch FMP's - a very appropriate choice now that I think about it since that's exactly what Ranger had done to me last night - and a stretchy red halter-style top that tied at my neck. Not coming home last night was telling enough, but combined with these clothes, my neighbors will probably think I took a job on Stark Street to pay my bills. Or Mr. Morganthal from the third floor might hit on me again if he caught sight of me in this. Both would be unpleasant to straighten out.

I did the opposite of what I'd done at Rangeman and took the two flights of stairs to my apartment. Most of the people in this building needed walkers or replacement joints so the stairs are the only place you can be guaranteed any privacy in the entire building. The stairs and the laundry room which is hidden deep in the bowels of the building, also known as the basement. Everyone here is terrified of that place. I was still convinced that trolls or giant spiders scientists have yet to discover lived down there, sure that no tenant would ever bother them.

I lucked out again and made it to my apartment without having to speak to anyone. I unlocked the door, but I knew I wasn't completely in the clear yet. Ranger has a bunch of freaky powers, and if he really wanted to talk to me he could have beaten me back here and at the moment be standing in my kitchen or sitting on the chair in my bedroom. I opened the door slowly and started breathing again when my apartment appeared empty except for Rex. A quick scan of the bedroom and bathroom told me that I was alone. I was both happy and sad about that. My cell was on, but it didn't ring at all on my way here and there was no messages on my machine. Ranger would be dressed and ready to go to work so if last night was something he wanted to discuss he would have called to tell me that.

Looks like this is going to be the same as last time. Just a fun night, nothing more. I'd expected it, but I couldn't help but be disappointed. I think we could actually make a life together work if we both can figure out how to give up a few of our control issues. Guess that isn't something I'm going to have to tackle, though. And I swore to myself that the next time I did see Ranger, I'd be able to tell him that I was fine with how things are between us. Ranger knows Joe isn't in the picture anymore, and he still hadn't mentioned anything at all about being glad that Joe and I were finally over, so I had to assume that my relationship status really didn't matter to Ranger either way.

I dumped my bag on the counter, relocked my front door, and after giving Rex fresh food and water, headed to the bathroom. A shower was definitely in order. I wasn't about to hang around and take one at Ranger's apartment, and I could still smell him and his Bulgari on my skin. Not good if I now had to work on distancing myself from him. I took the hottest shower I could stand and put on my comfy robe when I finally emerged from it. I didn't have any skips to pick up today, and I wasn't really looking forward to working at Rangeman this morning. I might be tempted to throw Ranger down on his desk and ravish him if I suddenly gained the upper body strength, and had the privacy, to actually accomplish it. Many of my Ranger fantasies involved that huge desk in his office. I shivered at the thought of him clearing the top of it with his arm and taking me on it a second later. Or sitting me on the edge of it, wheeling his chair close, and shouldering my legs apart to have _me_ for lunch instead of a turkey on whole-wheat.

"Stop it, Stephanie," I said out loud to myself as I walked into my bedroom.

"Stop what, Babe?" Ranger asked me.

Yup, he was sitting in the upholstered chair in the corner of the room, elbows on the arms, and his fingers steepled together. Uh-oh. That's his _I'm angry but refuse to show it _pose. I remember it well from when I went off investigating on my own and almost got myself blown up in a warehouse I'd been snooping in.

"Umm ... nothing," I said.

No way in hell was I going to tell him about the images my hormones were conjuring up.

"We need to talk," he said, standing up and crossing the room to me.

I resisted the urge to take a couple of steps away from him. Fuck. I _hated_ talking. Every time I try doing it with the guy I'm sleeping with, it always turned into a shouting match. Then again, I only slept with Ranger twice. That's not the same as the on again-off again relationship thing I had with Joe. Maybe Ranger just wanted to make sure I was okay with how things went. I do know that, no matter what, Ranger loves me and would never intentionally hurt me if he could help it. That probably explained his visit. This I could handle. Maybe.

"We don't have to, Ranger. Last night was great, but it doesn't have to change things between us if you don't want it to."

"I'm not here because of last night, Steph," he said to me. "I'm here because of this morning."

Now I'm confused. "I didn't even see you this morning," I told him. "Even _I_ can't do something wrong if I'm not actually present."

"Exactly. You weren't in my bed when I got out of the shower. Why did you leave, Stephanie?" Ranger asked me, cupping my head in his hands and holding me still so I couldn't look away even though I would have given my left arm to be able to do just that.

"I was trying to spare myself the_ we can only be friends _speech that you usually give me whenever you think I'm getting too attached to you."

"And are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Getting too attached to me?" He asked.

I looked at him for a beat, trying to decide if he was asking a serious question or kidding with me. It's a fine line with a man like Ranger. I rolled my eyes when I realized he wasn't joking.

"Are you frickin' kidding me?" I said. "I've been attached to you for_ years_. And I've been getting more so every time we're together."

"Then why did you run out on me?"

"I just told you! I can only take so much rejection before it starts having a negative effect on my self-esteem. Which is why you should have put the brakes on us last night before it got out of hand. You always did before."

"Why do you think I didn't?" He asked me.

What are we playing here ... twenty questions?

I freed myself from his loose grip and turned to look at the crap in my bedroom. After years of it cluttering up my space, it suddenly became really interesting to me.

"I don't know," I said finally. "Why _did _you sleep with me?"

I'm going to have to hear the truth sometime. And the quicker he let me down, the faster I could rebuild the wall between us and keep my ass on my own side of it.

"Besides the fact that I've been dreaming of having you again five seconds after I pulled out of you the last time we were together here?"

Hmm ... that had been a good night. Chocolate chip cookies, no cootie couch inside my apartment, and on top of that - and on top of _me _- a very naked, very aroused Ranger. Not much in my life has come close to topping that. Except for last night.

Of course, I didn't say any of that to Ranger. I went with joking my way out of the potential seriousness of this conversation. Maybe Ranger and I are more alike than different after all.

"_Five_ seconds? You could have at least flattered me by saying it had been only _two_."

Ranger wasn't biting, and I couldn't stop my smile. He did do a little biting last night. Along with a lot of _kissing_, _sucking_, and _thrusting_. My face got hot and I was pretty sure my panties were on fire. Or maybe I should say they_ would be _on fire if I was wearing any right now.

"I wouldn't have made love to you last night, Steph," Ranger said, his voice not giving anything away, but the intensity of his eyes as they locked onto me spoke volumes,"if I was planning on leaving you in the morning."

"_You _wouldn't have had to leave me, Ranger," I told him. "We were in _your_ apartment."

"Stephanie ..."

Uh-oh. My full name again. That was never a good sign. Guess Ranger wasn't feeling as playful this morning.

"Ranger, you've never minced words with me before, why don't you just say what it is I'm too dumb to pick up on, because I'm having a hard time figuring out what you're asking of me."

"You want the truth?" He asked.

"I think so?" I told him, hating how I made my answer go up at the end, making it sound like a unsure question.

I'd be more willing to hear the truth if I knew I was going to be happy as a result of it. But unlike Ranger-induced orgasms, conversations with him seldom left me feeling good.

"I'm not good at expressing myself," Ranger said.

"No kidding," I told him.

I couldn't help it. I've had more enlightening conversations with brick walls.

He ignored me. Same 'ol, same 'ol there.

"Last night was my way of showing you that our situation has changed."

"It has?"

When had that happened? Because I sure as hell didn't get the memo. I got the skip, a night of skin-blistering passion, but I didn't know our relationship had done a one-eighty.

"Yes. I want to be with you, Steph."

"Umm ... you were. Last night, remember? I think I blacked out a time or two, but I'm pretty sure you were mentally and physically present the whole time."

Ranger's lips twitched before he got serious again.

"I want to be with you for longer than just a night."

"Are you talking a week? A month? Give me a timeline here."

I wasn't sure if I was up for prolonged exposure to Ranger. Even on a semi-regular basis. I was an all or nothing kind of woman when it came to Ranger, at least in the past I'd been. Maybe I should start rethinking my stance on that.

"How does for the rest of my life sound?"

"Is this Ranger humor?" I asked him. "Because I want you to know that if it is, I will hurt you."

"It wasn't intended to be amusing, Babe," he said. "I planned on having this conversation with you when you woke up this morning, but you didn't stick around to hear it."

"You couldn't have given me a reason last night to think this wasn't only a one time thing?"

"Babe, once I realized that I was going to be getting you naked, not much else entered my mind."

"But you're always aware of _everything. _You must have known that I was going to bolt this morning."

"How many times in your life have you gone from a sound sleep to your car in under thirty minutes?"

"Uh ... never," I told him. "Unless there was a gun involved. And I think that still only makes a total of one time."

"I thought I'd have ten minutes to take a shower before I woke you. I would have been here sooner, but I wanted to tell Tank that I wasn't going to be in the office."

Ahh, that explained last night.

"You're going in the wind again," I said to him, "aren't you?"

And he wanted me before he left. I wonder how long he'll be gone this time. A day? Six months? An entire year? On the bright side, that would give me plenty of time to shore up my defenses. That was good, right?

"No, Babe. I'm staying here with you, unless you'd prefer to go back to my apartment. We only managed to get through half of the things I want to do to you, so I thought we could finish the remainder today. My instincts are telling me that you're naked under that robe, so we're well on our way to the 69th thing on the list."

Okay, apparently I could have just as many Ranger fantasies without the desk, but I had to make sure I understood what he was saying. Sex with Ranger is good, hell it's freakin' indescribable, but I knew I'd eventually need more than just that from him.

"Are you telling me you want to try having a relationship with me?" I asked, holding my breath for his answer.

"Steph, I don't_ try_, I_ do_. If you want to classify what we have as a _relationship_, then I'm fine with it."

"You get what that means, right?" I said. "You're not allowed to sleep with anyone else ..."

"Neither are you, Babe. If Morelli comes around here again, I will remove him. And that will be followed up by making sure he knows he's not welcomed back."

"I can live with that."

Joe isn't likely to seek me out after all the shit we said to each right before we officially called it quits.

"And I'm probably going to bug you about how dangerous your jobs are," I warned Ranger, "and where you disappear to when you have to leave Trenton."

"I'll give you as much information as I can without putting you, or the job, in jeopardy."

"Good. A compromise," I said to him, as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I can agree to those terms."

"Is there anything else we have to discuss, Babe, because I'd rather be doing something else with you right now."

Ranger had been hard from the second my robe-clad body brushed his, but he ignored it until I was satisfied that_ he _didn't see me as an easy lay, and I appreciated that more than I could say in words. I'm positive I can _show _him more effectively how happy I am that he, once again, tracked me down and patiently got me to listen to something I'd been too panicked to pay attention to at the time. I've always been good at jumping to conclusions before getting all the facts. Which is why I never strived to be in law enforcement outside of bounty hunting. I may be nosy, but I have absolutely no patience.

I tugged Ranger's head down to mine and curled my leg around his. "Nope, I'm good," I said against his mouth, "but you can go on ahead and convince me that I could be feeling even better."

Ranger's clothes were gone not long after my robe hit the floor. And when my body was under his on the bed, talking was the last thing on either of our minds for a long time afterwards.


End file.
